Training Tip 7/17/11: From the ground up
How often in real life are you pushing forward with your hands with your back braced off a flat surface? My guess would be, probably never. So, if that’s the case, why do so many people put so much emphasis on the bench press? In real life power is gathered from the ground, and is very rarely done straight out perpendicular to the body. Taking the example of an NFL lineman, when pressing with his arms, he’s doing it at an incline angle. Also, if he’s completely upright he’ll most likely end up on his back. He gathers power through his feet and transfers it through his body. Training should reflect this where the majority should be done standing, with seated or lying down being more secondary or supplemental options.
Jaime Gamache M.Ed., CSCS, is Owner and Head Strength Coach of The Way Human Performance Institute ( www.thewayhpi.com or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/The-Way-Human-Performance-Institute/117742824954659 )
Training Tip 9/7/11: Keep it Closed
Whether you believe in evolution or creationism, one fact remains: human beings were designed to move from the ground up.
In the health club/nautilus culture, machines were designed with the intention of working every major muscle group in an isolated way with the theory that fitness is achieved by the collective summation of the parts of the body. Functional training takes an oppositional stance of the body acting as a whole and disregarding the strength of a single muscle group over others.
The invention of these machines has led to a host of exercises where the feet are no longer in contact with the ground (ie. leg extensions and leg curls). Excessive use of these machines creates strength where the focus of that strength is not at the point of contact with the ground, but at a point around the ankle. This creates unnatural or unbalanced torque on the knee. Exercises of this type are called “open chain” because the direction of force is not at the farthest point of the lever arm (ie. hand or foot). ”Closed chain” exercises are by definition the opposite, and maintain the foot in contact with the ground. Squats, lunges and even leg curls on a stability or medicine ball are all examples of closed chain exercises.
Jaime Gamache M.Ed., CSCS, is Owner and Head Strength Coach of The Way Human Performance Institute ( www.thewayhpi.com and www.facebook.com/pages/The-Way-Human-Performance-Institute/117742824954659 )
Training Tip 9/10/11: No such thing as “The Weaker Sex”
We would like to introduce our newest contributor Jaime Gamache M.Ed., CSCS. He is Owner and Head Strength Coach of The Way Human Performance Institute www.thewayhpi.com located in Cranston RI.
“Toning” is a myth.
Repeat, it doesn’t exist.
Toning only happens in printers.
It’s a word made up by the fitness industry to trick uninformed women (which I’m sure there are none of reading this) into believing that strength training using the same methods as men will cause them harm or to blow up like bodybuilders (which is such and easy process, why wouldn’t everyone do it?)
Well, to put the cart before the horse, as most of you know, putting on quality muscle takes years and years of training. Professional bodybuilders spend most of their lives in the gym and female bodybuilders are no different. The average woman walking into the gym will never even change their muscular circumference, never mind adding bulk.
The reason for this is that when women strength train, at a muscular level they perform a process called “Enervation”. In simple terms, this means that women develop neural pathways that allow them to access and activate muscle cells they already have.
The average person only effectively uses about 30% of the muscle in their body, pro athletes have been found to use up to 50%. The theory for this is that while adrenaline allows women to lift cars off their children, repeated occurrences of that magnitude would have devastating effects on our bones and ligaments. Men and women are born with a certain number of muscle (and fat) cells. This number never changes, regardless of training. While women enervate, men’s muscle cells get thicker. The key ingredient in the difference is testosterone. Testosterone is what allows men to create more muscle mass and while women do have some testosterone in their bodies, most don’t have enough to allow for bulky muscle to develop.
In a practical sense, this means that while on the average, women will not generate the same force that men will. This is more true for upper body strength than lower body strength where it has been shown that women display proportionate strength to mass ratio in the lower body. But, from a tactical standpoint, women can generate considerable force and power when performing the same type of functional training as their male contemporaries.
Jaime Gamache M.Ed., CSCS, is Owner and Head Strength Coach of The Way Human Performance Institute ( www.thewayhpi.com and www.facebook.com/pages/The-Way-Human-Performance-Institute/117742824954659 )
ANS Diesel T Increases Testosterone Levels Naturally
ANS Diesel T is a unique formula combining a high dose of protodioscin, d-aspartic acid and ovine placenta to boost testosterone levels for physique and performance improvement.
D Aspartic Acid has been shown in human studies to increase testosterone by 42% in as little as 14 days. D-aspartic acid is an amino acid present in the neuroendocrine tissues of humans, playing a role in the synthesis of both LH (luteinizing hormone) and testosterone. LH, is secreted causing a subsequent release of testosterone from the testes. D-aspartic acid is synthesized when aspartate racemase converts L-aspartic acid into D-aspartic acid. This conversion occurs in the testes as well as other tissues throughout the human body. Supplementation with 3 grams (3,000mgs) per day, orally, resulted in a 42% testosterone increase while raising LH by 33%.
Protodioscin from Tribulus Terrestris is believed to directly stimulate the release of Luteinizing Hormone (LH). LH is an endocrine hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland in the brain. This hormone travels from the pituitary gland down the leydig cells of the testes where it stimulates testosterone production. Testosterone is considered the KING of all muscle building hormones. But tribulus in general is not capable of exerting such effects on the human endocrine system. Of the many saponins contained in tribulus, only protodioscin is capable of eliciting this prolific influence on testosterone production.
Ovine Placental Powder increases the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland. It activates Leydig cell steroidogenesis via LH.
This is a great combination for increasing natural testosterone production.
Performance Nutrition Framingham – NOW OPEN
As of 9-6-11 we are now open for business at our newest location in Framingham MA. The address is 1291 Worcester Rd Framingham MA 01701.
Our contact phone is 508-309-6617.
Hours of operation:
Monday 10am to 8pm
Tuesday 10am to 8pm
Wednesday 10am to 8pm
Thursday 10am to 8pm
Friday 10am to 7pm
Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 12pm to 5pm
Lean Revolution Limited Edition – Energy and Intensity without Anxiety
A good pre-workout should do four things to improve the user’s workout.
1) It should provide physical energy, like you might feel from an energy drink. The energy component should also help with mental focus (mind muscle connection).
2) It should increase ATP or cellular energy stores.
3) It should buffer lactic acid and decrease fatigue.
4) It should increase blood flow to the working muscle and deliver nutrients and enhance the muscle pump.
The new Lean Revolution Limited Edition produces on all four of these fronts and is one of the few non geranium based products that provide a significant boost in focus and energy.
For Energy and Focus
N-Methyltyramine is a conditionally essential amino acid which works by being an essential precursor to the neurotransmitter nor epinephrine. N-Methyltyramine also activates brown fat and increases body metabolism and the use of white fat (bad fat) as body fuel. N-Methyltyramine, is known as an adrenergenic amine, which means it can help facilitate the action of the sympathetic nervous system on the adrenal glands, thereby increasing the body’s metabolism, and boosting energy. N-Methyltyramine is like a shot of adrenaline providing a very smooth focused energy.
Piracetam enhances brain metabolism by increasing Glucose Utilization, Blood & Oxygen Flow. The net result is a boost in mental energy & cerebral circulation.
CDP Choline was also added for brain and mood support. CDP Choline results in a noticeable level of alertness and motivation. In addition, colors seem brighter and sharper and libido is enhanced.
For ATP Production and Cellular Energy
Creatine MagnaPower provides more active creatine to the bloodstream for subsequent incorporation into the cells of the muscle. Chelate provides magnesium, which is involved in more energy producing systems than creatine, in addition creatine requires magnesium for its energy producing cycle. High doses of creatine are not required, since the chelate is not susceptible to acidic cyclization. Gastric disturbances are eliminated since only doses approximately 20% of what would be needed with creatine monohydrate are required.
For Buffering Lactic Acid and Fatigue Reduction
Beta Alanine and Creatinol O Phosphate act to reduce fatigue and muscle failure. Beta Alanine works through increasing carnosine levels. By doing so, it helps improve weight training and athletic performance in a variety of ways. By increasing carnosine levels it increases buffering capacity in the muscle, this helps prevent your muscles from becoming overly acidic during times of stress.
For Increasing Blood Flow and Muscle Pump
Most people are familiar with arginine but the metabolic by product of arginine known as agmatine sulfate goes well beyond arginine in terms of effectiveness. This formula also uses citrulline, glycerol and vanadyl to enhance the pump effect from exercise.